Descripción

Two parts in one volume, 4to (216x158 mm). [8], 190, [2]; 58 [i.e. 56] pp. Pages 54-55 omitted in numbering. Collation: a4, A-Aa4; 2A-2G4. Leaf Aa4 is a blank. The second part (Messalina) bears the date 1627 on the title page. Contemporary cardboards “alla rustica” (soiled and rubbed). Light browning, but a good, genuine copy, uncut with deckle edges.
Probable fifth edition (the first appeared in 1625) of this collection of stories that had a good success and was reprinted five times until 1633 often with false place and printers as in 1627 it was prohibited and put into the Index librorum prohibitorum.
The work is divided into four evenings in which the autobiographical character Eureta, a student at the University of Padua, listens to the tales of his oil lamp, which contains a soul that has reincarnated several times. The oil lamp tells stories from all times and places, and this is a pretext for the author to mix different genres and to imitate and quote different authors. In the work we move from stories of reincarnation in animals, men and women, to an Aristotelian philosopher, to a courtesan, to Cleopatra, etc. Other exotic or erotic or horrific stories are based on the fact that the “lucerna” is being sold and passes from one house to another. The text is thus a large collection of varied narrative material and combines different literary genres and forms.
Francesco Pona was a physician and writer from Verona. He was a member of the Accademia dei Filarmonici of Verona, and of the Accademia degli Incogniti of Venice.
Piantanida, 3289; Italian Union Catalogue, IT\ICCU\TO0E\000958; Passano, p. 429.